St Leonards Junior Activities Handbook

Activities, Sports & Games Years 1 to 6

Essential Information about this Handbook The co-curriculum at St Leonards is broad and exciting, spanning art, music, drama, sport, outdoor learning, Beach School, mindfulness and wellbeing activities, dance, games and more. In any given year, there are over 50 different activities for pupils across Years 1-13 to choose from, including choirs and ensembles, swimming, crafts, construction and yoga.

This handbook is intended to give you a flavour of the opportunities on offer to pupils in Years 1-6. Timetables and signup for individual activities are released each term throughout the school year.

Our diverse activities programme complements curricular learning at St Leonards, helping to prepare pupils ‘Ad Vitam’ (for life) and shaping them into confident, creative, and collaborative individuals who are willing to use their imagination, take risks, and serve their local community.

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With all our activities, we like to make the most of our fantastic on-site facilities and beautiful seaside location, as well as harnessing the expertise and enthusiasm of our dedicated staff team and external practitioners.

In Years 1-6, activities take place both at lunchtime and after school, between 4.15 and 5.15 pm. Please note, there is an additional cost for activities delivered by an external provider, such as dance or judo. These activities are indicated with an asterisk throughout this booklet.

Activities Aquathlon (*) We are pleased to offer Aquathlon after school for pupils in Years 5-6, held in our 25m indoor heated swimming pool at St Leonards and led by the East Fife Triathlon Club. Aquathlon is a multisport race consisting of run and swim elements over various distances. Pupils participating in Aquathlon will require a junior membership of the East Fife Triathlon Club.

Art Club (*) Art Club is the perfect place to relax and unwind after a busy day at school, giving pupils ample opportunity to let their creative juices flow. The pupils are able to use the wealth of materials in the Junior Art Room to create their own masterpieces and pursue their own projects - sculptures, paintings, drawings, models and more! Art Club is open to pupils in Years 4-6, and there is a small additional cost of £2.00 per class.

Beach Club St Leonards is just a hop, skip and a jump from the sea, and so beach activities are a much-loved staple of the curriculum and activities programme at St Leonards, be that rockpooling, playing rounders, paddling in the sea, or building sandcastles!

Beach Club is open to all pupils in Years 1-6 and spans everything from games on the shoreline to beach art, beach combing and more - whatever the weather - all with the aim of fostering a strong sense of community spirit and a connection to the wonderful environment around us.

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Coding Club

Craft Club (*)

Coding Club is an exciting opportunity for pupils to develop their coding skills using open source hardware such as Micro:bit and block-based visual programming languages such as Scratch.

Open to all, from beginners to more experienced coders, the club fosters a collaborative and supportive environment where pupils create videos, animations, stories, and games.

If your child enjoys creating masterpieces with sequins, fabric, natural objects, tissue paper, paint, and pens then they will love the Years 1-4 Craft Club. This is always a fun and popular Junior activity, and has a small charge of £2.00 per session to cover materials.

Construction Club Construction Club is all about building, creating and collaborating, whether it’s making a robot out of recycling and found objects, constructing a Lego tower, building a bridge using straws and sticks, or even surprising our youngest pupils with magical ‘fairy houses’ around the grounds! Over the course of each term, models, fantastic fortresses and even moving vehicles are built - there are certainly some budding engineers, architects and designers in our midst!

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Drama

Film Club

Drama is a wonderful way for children to develop confidence, teamwork, public speaking skills, and to have fun! All pupils in the Junior Years at St Leonards are encouraged to take part in productions, with many also choosing to prepare for LAMDA exams. Over 90 pupils receive tuition for LAMDA examinations and enjoy showcasing their talent at the annual Perth Festival.

The Years 1-3 Nativity Play in December is a highlight of the Autumn Term, and pupils in Years 4-6 also stage fantastic plays throughout the year. Recent productions have included Snow White and the Numerous Elves and Olivia.

After a long day, pupils can relax with friends and enjoy a film at our Film Club, providing a perfect way to unwind and have fun together.

Dance (*) Our external dance specialists offer a range of genres including ballet, contemporary and jazz dance depending on pupil interest.

Scottish Country Dancing is offered by one of our Primary Years team. This is always popular, both as an activity and as a life skill.

External dance classes carry an additional cost of around £5 per session.

Dodgeball Dodgeball is open to pupils in Years 4-6 and is a team sport in which players on two teams try to throw balls to hit their opponents, whilst avoiding being hit themselves. It builds on teambuilding and communication skills and is always lots of fun!

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Gardening (*) Pupils in the St Leonards Gardening Club enjoy growing and tending to flowers, fruits and vegetables in the school polytunnel and around the town in partnership with community groups.

Since its inception, the children and staff have worked hard to create the ‘St Leonards Croft’, which is already flourishing, with produce picked and prepared in the kitchen of Restaurant 1877.

There is a small cost of £2.00 per class to cover materials and equipment.

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Golf (*)

Judo (*)

St Andrews is internationally renowned as the ‘Home of Golf’, so, unsurprisingly, golf is central to the sporting provision at St Leonards. The St Leonards Golf Academy offers a structured eight-tier Golf Programme, catering to all pupils from Year 1 to Year 13, accommodating every level of ability. In partnership with the St Andrews Links Trust, our students benefit from world-class practice facilities and expert coaching.

We are fortunate to be able to offer Judo instruction by a former Olympic Judoka at St Leonards. This is always a popular activity, which carries an additional cost of approximately £6.25 per session for tuition with an external supplier. Beginners and above are most welcome, with all abilities catered for on the mats.

In the Junior Years, younger pupils can join the Cadets, where they get their first taste of golf, including trips to the driving range and using our SNAG golf equipment. From Year 4 onwards, pupils can join the Minis, where they receive expert tuition to develop and refine their golfing skills. Pupils on the programme also have the opportunity to purchase a Links ticket, granting them the chance to play on the world-famous courses in the town.

For more detailed information, please see our Golf Programme brochure.

Gymnastics (*) Gymnastics is offered through our close collaboration with Saints Sports. Specialist staff lead two sessions tailored for Year 1-3 and Year 4-6 pupils. Whether beginners or advanced, pupils have the opportunity to develop and refine their gymnastics skills.

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Mindfulness Colouring By slowing down and focusing on the present moment, mindful practices help to reduce stress, foster curiosity, and enhance self-awareness and understanding of the world. Mindfulness Colouring offers a calming experience, featuring dimmed lights, electric candles, soft music, and specially designed colouring sheets. This activity is available to pupils in Years 1-3, providing them with a peaceful environment to relax and unwind.

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Music

Nature Club (*)

There are more than 20 instrumental and vocal teachers at St Leonards, covering orchestral, jazz and pop instruments. Our staff are expert performers in their own right, and have a superb record of bringing out the best in young musicians, whether that is participating in individual lessons, preparing for exams, performing in concerts, or joining one of our many ensembles.

If you do not already play or sing, why not give music lessons a try? There is huge pleasure to be had in music - and the skills gained through practising and performing will enhance other educational and life skills. In the Junior Years, pupils are encouraged to discover and develop their musical talents through ‘Give it a Go’ instrumental tuition in curricular lessons, covering the violin, clarineo or harp. We also offer Music Theory lessons, a thriving programme of Informal Concerts, and a whole host of different ensembles including String Club, Music Theory Club, Girls’ Choir, Boys’ Choir, Orchestra, and Pipe Band.

Nature Club is available to pupils in Years 1-6, running in agespecific sessions, and focusing on instilling a love of the great outdoors. Pupils will discover everything from minibeasts to wildlife on campus, try their hand at planting and learn about pollinator-friendly plants. We have plenty of outdoor activities and facilities to support this activity, including our dedicated Outdoor Classroom, raised beds and polytunnel at the St Leonards Croft, and our pupil-designed and built Wellbeing Trail.

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Sport Our first Headmistress, Dame Louisa Lumsden (1877-1882), believed sport and activity played an important role in the development of her students. To this day, St Leonards continues to commit to a strong sporting tradition, and has a particular reputation for excelling in lacrosse, hockey, golf, athletics, football and rugby. Our team games instil a sense of cooperation, effort, collaboration and leadership in all our pupils, at whatever level they desire to achieve - life skills that will be taken into further education, and beyond.

In the Junior Years, all pupils have swimming lessons as part of their timetabled PE lessons, and hone their motor skills through

a variety of games and sports in their curricular Games lessons.

At lunchtime and after school, there are plenty of different sporting activities for pupils of all ages and abilities including rugby, hockey, tennis, football, gymnastics, swimming, cricket, summer games, and multi-sports. These activities make the most of our extensive sports facilities which include a 25-metre indoor swimming pool, squash and tennis courts, an AstroTurf, grass pitches, and an indoor sports hall. Our avid runners enjoy exploring the local area and venturing along the beaches and the Fife Coastal Path in our after-school Running Club.

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Thinker Club

Yoga (*)

Thinker Club offers a variety of games and puzzles designed to challenge and engage the mind. Pupils can enjoy classic games like Othello, Boggle, Scrabble, or develop their chess skills.

There is also the chance to explore puzzles like tangrams, tackle a jigsaw, or try their hand at solving a Rubik’s Cube. We are always keen to introduce new challenges, making it a fun and stimulating experience for all.

Mindful movement is so important for physical and mental health, and so we are delighted to offer Yoga for pupils in Years 1-3 and 4-6 as an after-school activity run by an external specialist teacher. There is a cost of around £7.00 per session, depending on numbers, and pupils must sign up for a termlength block. Yoga is always popular with our pupils, with classes taken outdoors, whenever the weather permits!

Ultimate Frisbee Ultimate Frisbee is a non-contact team sport played with a flying disc. The objective is to score by passing the disc to a teammate in the end zone. Since physical contact is not allowed, it is a safe and inclusive sport suitable for all ages.

Walk and Talk Walk and Talk Club provides an opportunity for pupils in Years 4-6 to discover St Andrews, taking in popular sights and even the odd playpark en route. Pupils head out regardless of the weather to make the most of our unrivalled location in the heart of the historic university town, making new friends and exploring new places along the way.

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Years 1-6 | Example Activity Programme

Day

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

12.30 - 1.10

Girls’ Choir

Orchestra

Music Theory Club

Boys’ Choir

String Club

*Years 1-3 Dance 4.20 - 5.15

Snag Golf*

Craft Club*

Art Club*

Film Club

Football Club

Ballet Club*

Yoga*

Swimming Club

Gymnastics Club*

Judo Club*

Dance Club*

Beach Club

Multisport

Walk & Talk Club

Gardening Club*

Aquathlon*

Nature Club*

Gymnastics Club*

Running Club

Ultimate Frisbee/ Dodgeball

Mini Movers

Construction Club

Mindfulness Colouring

Supervised Prep/ After-school Care

Thinker/Coding Club Supervised Prep/ After-school Care

Supervised Prep/ After-school Care

Supervised Prep/ After-school Care

Supervised Prep/ After-school Care

Asterisk (*) indicates that there is an additional cost attached to this activity.

Please note, some activities may change from term to term to accommodate as many co-curricular opportunities as possible during the school year.

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Pupils at St Leonards aspire to be: Inquirers, Knowledgeable, Thinkers, Communicators, Principled, Open-minded, Caring, Risk-takers, Balanced, Reflective

St Leonards School, St Andrews, Scotland KY16 9QJ Tel : 01334 460470 | contact@stleonards-fife.org | stleonards-fife.org /stleonardsschool /stleonardsschool/ /StLeonards_Head